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Nation
White House is Concerned With Iran as Strikes Continue -- DoD Adds 32 More Casualties
President Trump told reporters at a Camp David cabinet meeting he is concerned with Iran after Tehran fired missiles at U.S. forces in Jordan while negotiations were underway, though he did not rule out a deal; the Pentagon updated its casualty database Friday with 32 additional wounded troops.
Sources: ABC News · Times of Israel · AP · Task & Purpose · CENTCOM
60-Day Iran Peace Window at Halfway Mark -- June 17 MOU Deadline Is August 17; U.S. Negotiators Continue Talks Despite Resumed Strikes
Friday marks the midpoint of the 60-day negotiating window established by the June 17 U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, with both sides trading strikes as diplomats continue working; analysts at CFR say the U.S. faces the same strategic dilemmas that have defined the conflict from the start.
Sources: Fox News · CFR · Reuters · AP
Markets Close July Higher Despite Volatile Week -- Dow +0.5%, S&P +0.7%, Nasdaq +1.3% Friday; Amazon Powers Gains, Apple Drags; Dow Posts Fourth Straight Winning Month
U.S. stocks finished Friday and the month of July on an upbeat note, with the Nasdaq rising 1.3% to 25,373 and the S&P 500 gaining 0.7% to 7,489, as Amazon surged on its blowout earnings while Apple's weak forward outlook weighed; the Dow logged its fourth consecutive winning month.
Sources: CNBC · TheStreet · Yahoo Finance · Bloomberg
Employment Cost Index Up 0.9% in Q2 -- Slightly Above 0.8% Estimate; Annual Wage Growth at 3.4%, Still Below 3.5% CPI Pace
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that compensation costs rose 0.9% in Q2, a tick above consensus, while annual wage growth of 3.4% remains marginally below the consumer price index's 3.5% pace -- keeping real wage pressure on American households.
Sources: BLS · CNBC · Reuters
World
Iranian Foreign Minister Denies Egypt Involvement -- Araghchi Calls Damietta Tanker Strike a "False Flag"; Egypt Calls Incident a Shared Threat Requiring Muslim Solidarity
Iran's foreign minister denied Tehran's involvement in the drone strike on a U.S.-owned gas tanker at Egypt's Damietta port, calling it an Israeli false flag operation aimed at undermining regional stability; Egypt's foreign minister called the incident a shared threat and urged Muslim solidarity.
Sources: Good Morning America · ABC News · Al Jazeera · Reuters
South Korea KOSPI Surges 18% -- Largest Single-Day Gain in History After SK Hynix Hits 30% Daily Limit on AI Memory Boom; Samsung Up 27%
South Korea's KOSPI index surged 18% -- its biggest single-session gain ever -- after memory chipmaker SK Hynix hit its 30% daily trading limit on massive AI demand, with Samsung Electronics jumping 27%; the Stoxx 600 also touched a record high as global markets rallied on Big Tech earnings optimism.
Sources: TradingKey · Bloomberg · Reuters
CXMT Becomes China's Most Valuable Listed Company at $487B -- Shanghai Debut Surges 531% on Q1 Revenue Growth of 719%; Rivals Micron and SK Hynix Rattled
Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT debuted on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a 531% first-day gain, reaching a $487 billion market cap and becoming China's most valuable listed company; Q1 revenue grew 719% as the firm confirmed HBM production is beginning in 2026.
Sources: TradingKey · Bloomberg · Reuters
New U.S. Sanctions Target Iran's Mahan Air Supporters -- Treasury Designates New Network Days After Fresh Strike Package; Strait of Hormuz Traffic Faltering
The U.S. Treasury issued new sanctions targeting entities supporting Iran's Mahan Air network Friday, the latest in a series of economic measures layered alongside military operations; oil prices rose to around $85 per barrel (WTI) as commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continued to falter.
Sources: Good Morning America · Yahoo Finance · Reuters
Technology
Amazon Soars 12% After Blowout Q2 -- Revenue $200.6B, Up 19.6%; AWS $42.2B Beat; 2026 Capex on Pace to Top $170B as Jassy Bets Big on Graviton5 and Bedrock
Amazon reported Q2 revenue of $200.6 billion, up 19.6% year over year, with AWS hitting $42.2 billion at a 39.4% operating margin, beating estimates on both lines; CEO Andy Jassy is spending aggressively on Graviton5 chips, Bedrock model expansion, Zoox robotaxis, and Amazon Leo satellites, with prediction markets putting 2026 capex above $170 billion at 98.4% probability.
Sources: 24/7 Wall St. · CNBC · Yahoo Finance · TradingKey
Apple Drops 8% Despite Record June Quarter -- Revenue $109.4B, Up 16.4%; Gross Margin Boosted by Tariff Refunds; Weak China Sales and Soft Guidance Disappoint
Apple posted fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $109.4 billion, up 16.4%, with iPhone at $54.3 billion and Services at $30.7 billion, but shares fell 8% as gross margin benefited from one-time tariff refunds and forward guidance disappointed on slowing China performance and rising component costs -- Tim Cook's final earnings call as CEO.
Sources: 24/7 Wall St. · CNBC · Yahoo Finance · Barclays
Big Tech Hyperscalers Forecast $720-745B in 2026 Capex -- Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet Signal AI Infrastructure Spending Is Accelerating, Not Slowing
The four major cloud hyperscalers -- Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet -- collectively forecast $720-745 billion in 2026 capital expenditures, reviving investor confidence in the AI infrastructure build-out after weeks of concern about spending discipline.
Sources: Yahoo Finance · Bloomberg · CNBC
Moderna Falls 6%+ After Q2 Miss -- 10-Year Treasury Tops 4.73%, Highest Since January 2025; 30-Year Yield at 5.25%, Highest Since 2007
Moderna slid more than 6% in premarket trading after a second-quarter earnings miss, while the broader bond market continued to tighten: the 10-year Treasury yield touched 4.73% intraday and the 30-year hit 5.25%, its highest level since 2007, adding pressure on rate-sensitive sectors.
Sources: CNBC · TheStreet · Bloomberg
Business & Markets
Dow Posts Fourth Straight Winning Month -- July Ends With Dow at 52,485, S&P at 7,489, Nasdaq at 25,373; Big Tech AI Spending Revives Optimism After Volatile Week
July closed with the major indexes in positive territory for the fourth consecutive month, capping a week defined by Fed rate hold volatility and split Big Tech earnings; the Mag 7 hyperscaler capex announcements of $720-745 billion collectively reassured investors that AI infrastructure spending is intact.
Sources: CNBC · Yahoo Finance · Bloomberg
University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Picks Up in July -- Broad Improvement Despite Elevated Inflation, High Rates, and Iran War Uncertainty
The University of Michigan's final July consumer sentiment reading showed a broad pickup despite persistent inflation above 3%, elevated Treasury yields, and ongoing Middle East conflict, offering a modestly encouraging signal ahead of August economic data.
Sources: Yahoo Finance · Reuters · CNBC
Cinemark Posts Record Q2 -- Surpasses $1B Revenue for First Time Ever; Spider-Man: Brand New Day Opens Today With $300M+ Weekend Expected
Cinemark reported a record-breaking Q2, crossing $1 billion in revenue for the first time in company history, driven by a strong summer slate including The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5, and Michael; Sony's Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens today with analysts projecting a $300 million-plus domestic debut.
Sources: The Industry · Reuters · Box Office Pro
WTI Crude Rises to ~$85, Brent ~$90 as Hormuz Traffic Falters -- Oil Prices Weigh on Consumer Budgets Alongside Elevated PCE at 3.7%
Oil prices rose Friday as Strait of Hormuz commercial traffic continued to falter amid renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities, with WTI trading around $85 per barrel and Brent near $90; higher energy costs are compounding consumer budget pressure alongside core PCE inflation holding at 3.7%.
Sources: Yahoo Finance · Reuters · Bloomberg
Science & Health
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Blankets U.S. -- NASA Tracks Brown Carbon Plumes Across Northeast and Midwest; Air Quality Alerts From Michigan to Boston
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio is tracking brown carbon aerosols from Canadian wildfires drifting across the U.S. Northeast and Midwest, with the Michigan DEQ and several Northeast states issuing air quality alerts; wildfire smoke is reported to be contributing to hazardous conditions from the Great Lakes to Boston.
Sources: NASA Science · AccuWeather · AP · Michigan EGLE
NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Releases Stunning Mars Timelapse -- May 15 Gravity Assist Data Downlinked and Validated; Mission on Track for 2029 Asteroid Arrival
NASA released a timelapse video assembled from thousands of images captured by the Psyche spacecraft during its May 15 Mars flyby, with mission scientists confirming all instruments performed precisely as designed; the gravity assist set Psyche on course for its 2029 encounter with the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.
Sources: NASA JPL · ScienceDaily · Phys.org
Daily Multivitamin May Help Older Adults Stay Independent -- Three-Year Trial Finds Users Report Better Functional Health Than Placebo Group
A three-year clinical trial found that older adults who took a daily multivitamin reported meaningfully better functional health and independent living capacity than those on placebo, though researchers caution the findings are preliminary and further study is warranted.
Sources: ScienceDaily · Reuters Health
Sports
MLB Trade Deadline Monday at 6 PM ET -- Tigers Scratch Casey Mize to Protect Trade Value; Skubal Market Takes Shape with Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers, Rays, Braves, Cubs, Phillies All In
With the August 3 trade deadline three days away, the Tigers scratched a healthy Casey Mize from Friday's start to protect his trade value, signaling Detroit is preparing a broad sell-off; Tarik Skubal's market now includes at least seven suitors -- the Dodgers, Yankees, Brewers, Rays, Braves, Cubs, and Phillies.
Sources: Yahoo Sports · MLB.com · ESPN · CBS Sports
Mets Scratch Peralta Amid Trade Interest -- Red Sox's Curtis Mead Fractures Wrist in First Red Sox Game; Buxton Returns to IL with Hip Impingement
The New York Mets scratched starter Freddy Peralta on Friday amid reported trade interest, signaling they may be sellers at the deadline; separately, Red Sox trade acquisition Curtis Mead fractured his wrist in his first game with Boston, and Twins outfielder Byron Buxton returned to the injured list with a right hip impingement.
Sources: Yahoo Sports · AP · ESPN
LeBron James to Sixers Continues to Reshape Eastern Conference -- Sportsbooks Post 2026-27 Scoring Lines; League-Wide Agent Activity Surges
LeBron James's deal with the Philadelphia 76ers continues to ripple across the league, with sportsbooks immediately posting lines on his 2026-27 scoring average and agents reporting accelerated trade and contract activity league-wide in response to the reshuffled Eastern Conference.
Sources: NBC Sports · ESPN · AP
Entertainment
Disney Sells 50% A+E Stake to Hearst for $1B+ -- Deal Gives Hearst Full Ownership of A&E, History Channel, Lifetime; Expected to Close Alongside Disney Earnings August 5
Disney has agreed to sell its 50% stake in A+E Global Media -- which includes A&E Network, History Channel, Lifetime, and Vice TV -- to joint venture partner Hearst Communications for more than $1 billion, giving Hearst full ownership of the cable group; the deal is expected to be formally announced alongside Disney's Q3 earnings on August 5.
Sources: The Wrap · Señal News · MediaPost · Cynopsis
Netflix Signs $500M, 5-Year Walking Dead Deal with AMC -- Co-Exclusive Agreement Expands to U.K. and Australia; Includes All Spinoffs
Netflix and AMC Global Media have struck a five-year, $500 million co-exclusive licensing renewal for The Walking Dead universe, expanding Netflix's rights to the U.K. and Australia and covering all franchise spinoffs while also allowing AMC+ to continue streaming the series.
Sources: Deadline · Hollywood Reporter · The Industry
Amazon MGM Drops OpenAI Drama "Artificial" -- AI Copyright Concerns Stall $2.4M Debut Novel Deal; Studio Sensitivities Around AI-Focused Projects Growing
Amazon MGM has pulled studio backing from Artificial, a high-profile drama about OpenAI's founding, reflecting growing industry sensitivity around AI-focused content; separately, publisher concerns about possible AI involvement stalled a $2.4 million debut novel deal for Call Me, I'll Hide the Body, signaling widening copyright and rights-management risk for creators.
Sources: Further & Better · The Industry · Deadline
Weather
National Outlook: Dangerous Heat Wave Intensifies Across Southwest -- 110-120°F Forecast; Expanding Into Intermountain West and Northern High Plains This Weekend; Severe Storm Threat Across Midwest and Gulf Coast
A dangerous heat wave is intensifying Friday across the Southwest, with the Weather Prediction Center forecasting 110-120°F in parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona before the dome expands into Wyoming, Montana, and the northern High Plains this weekend; warm nights will provide little overnight relief across several regions, and a cold front pushing through the central U.S. will trigger gusty, potentially severe storms from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest.
Sources: NWS · WPC · The Watchers · AccuWeather · Fox Weather
DFW: High 104°F, Low 83°F -- Heat Index Up to 110°F; Cold Front Arrives Tonight with Gusty Storms Possible; Brief Cool-Down to Mid-90s Saturday Before Heat Rebuilds Next Week
Dallas-Fort Worth hits another dangerously hot Friday with a high near 104°F and heat index values up to 110°F; a long-awaited cold front arrives tonight, bringing a chance of gusty storms, especially north of the metroplex, then drier air drops Saturday afternoon highs to the mid-90s -- though triple-digit heat is forecast to return by Monday.
Sources: NWS Fort Worth · FOX 4 Dallas · Weather Underground · AccuWeather
Coming Up
This Weekend: MLB Trade Deadline Monday August 3 -- Skubal Deal Expected · Disney Earnings August 5 with A+E Sale Announcement · Iran 60-Day MOU Deadline August 17 · Southwest Heat Wave Peaks Saturday Before Expanding
The MLB trade deadline arrives Monday at 6 PM ET with a Tarik Skubal trade widely expected; Disney reports earnings August 5 and is expected to formally announce the A+E sale to Hearst at the same time; the Iran 60-day peace window hits its end deadline August 17 as strikes continue; and the Southwest heat dome peaks Saturday before expanding into the Intermountain West and northern High Plains through the weekend.
Sources: Daily Tech Reader